James Maxwell
Founder & Editor · Last reviewed 2026-05-10
Wednesday 13 -- Friday 15 May 2026. York Racecourse.
Quick answer for "where can I watch the Dante Festival 2026":
- Thursday 14 May (Dante Stakes Day): ITV1 free-to-air + ITVX live stream. The Dante Stakes itself runs at 16:05 BST -- the most-watched race of the festival.
- Wednesday 13 May (Musidora Day): Racing TV (Sky 426 / Virgin 535 / RacingTV.com web). Single-day pass £6.99 if you don't want a full subscription.
- Friday 15 May (Yorkshire Cup Day): Racing TV plus Sky Sports Racing for the headline race window (TBC by ITV's published schedule).
The shortest path to free coverage is Thursday 14 May on ITV1 / ITVX -- ITV1 is included in every Freeview / Sky / Virgin / Freesat package; ITVX is free with email registration on web, mobile and smart-TV apps. ITVX coverage is UK-only -- viewers outside the UK need either a UK VPN or one of the international alternatives covered below.
The cheapest path to all three days is the Racing TV single-day pass at £6.99 per day -- buy three (£20.97 total) and you have full HD coverage of all 21 races + replays + paddock walks + post-race interviews.
The full subscription path is Racing TV at £29.98/month -- justified if you watch flat racing more than 1-2 days per month across the year (the May to October flat calendar has roughly 80 racing days the channel covers in full).
This guide gives the per-platform breakdown with what's included on each, plus the international viewing options for Ireland (RTÉ + Racing TV), Australia (Sky Racing 1) and the US (FanDuel TV / Twin Spires).
For the full race-by-race timetable see our Dante Festival 2026 TV guide and for the race-day verdicts see our Dante Festival 2026 tips.
Where to watch the Dante Festival 2026 -- by platform
ITV1 / ITVX (Thursday 14 May only)
ITV1 is free-to-air via every UK digital TV provider (Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat, BT TV, Now TV pass-through). Coverage runs from approximately 13:30 BST to 17:30 BST on Thursday 14 May only -- ITV does not cover the supporting Wednesday or Friday cards.
ITVX (itv.com/watch) is ITV's live stream + on-demand platform. Free with email registration -- no subscription required. ITVX gives you:
- Live stream of Dante Stakes Day on desktop, mobile, smart TV, Chromecast, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV
- 30-day on-demand catch-up of every named race + post-race interviews
- HD quality on smart TVs and modern phones; 720p fallback on lower-bandwidth connections
- Geo-restricted to UK IPs only -- a UK VPN can extend access for travelling viewers
ITV4 also simulcasts when the ITV1 schedule has news / drama overlaps. The ITVX live stream automatically follows ITV1 → ITV4 to keep coverage continuous.
Racing TV (all three days)
Racing TV (racingtv.com) covers the full 21-race programme across all three days. Full HD, expert analysis, paddock walks, post-race interviews. Available via:
- Sky Channel 426 / Virgin Channel 535 as part of a sports add-on bundle (typically £15-20/month)
- RacingTV.com web stream -- £29.98/month direct subscription, or a single-day pass at £6.99
- Racing TV iOS / Android app -- same access tier as the web stream, included in the subscription
The single-day pass is the right play for a one-off Dante Festival viewer. The full subscription pays back if you watch more than 1-2 racing days per month across the year.
Sky Sports Racing (Wednesday + Friday only)
Sky Sports Racing (skysports.com/racing) carries selected coverage of the Wednesday Musidora Day and Friday Yorkshire Cup Day. Subscription required -- bundled with a Sky Sports / Now TV / Virgin Sports pass (typically £25+/month).
Sky Sports Racing is broader than Racing TV (it covers UK + Ireland + Dubai + Hong Kong) but less deep on UK-specific Group races. The Dante Festival is best watched on Racing TV or ITVX for UK viewers; Sky Sports Racing is a useful backup if you're already a Sky Sports subscriber.
YouTube + Racing Post + Sporting Life (free, post-race)
ITV Racing's YouTube channel publishes the Dante Stakes race replay + jockey/trainer interviews within 30 minutes of the race. Free, no registration. Same for the Musidora and Yorkshire Cup if results are high-profile.
Racing Post (racingpost.com), Sporting Life (sportinglife.com) and At The Races (attheraces.com) all publish written race reports + free video replays within 60 minutes of each race.
Ireland (RTÉ + Racing TV via Sky Ireland)
RTÉ Sport sub-licences ITV's UK-flat coverage on a per-event basis. The 2026 Dante Stakes is on RTÉ Sport for Irish viewers -- check the RTÉ Player schedule for off-time. Racing TV is also available in Ireland via Sky Ireland and UPC.
Outside the UK / Ireland
FanDuel TV (formerly TVG) covers UK Group races for North American viewers. Sky Racing 1 in Australia covers UK + Irish flat racing. Asia: TBN / Asia Racing TV for Hong Kong and Singapore feeds.
For travel periods, a UK VPN service plus a free ITVX account is the cheapest path to ITV1 coverage (subject to that VPN's terms of service and ITVX's geo-policies; this isn't legal advice, just a practical note).
For the full schedule + off-times see our Dante Festival 2026 TV guide, and for the Dante Festival 2026 tips for the verdicts.
How to Watch Dante Festival 2026 -- FAQ
Is the Dante Festival 2026 on free TV?
Thursday 14 May (Dante Stakes Day) only is on free-to-air TV via ITV1 (and ITVX live stream + 30-day catch-up, free with email registration). The Wednesday Musidora Day and Friday Yorkshire Cup Day are not on free-to-air -- they're on Racing TV which requires a subscription or a £6.99 single-day pass.
Can I watch the Dante Stakes for free?
Yes -- on ITV1 or ITVX (both free in the UK, with ITVX requiring email registration). The Dante Stakes runs at 16:05 BST on Thursday 14 May 2026.
What time is the Dante Stakes 2026?
16:05 BST on Thursday 14 May 2026 at York. Live on ITV1 and ITVX.
Can I stream the Dante Festival 2026 on my phone?
ITVX has dedicated iOS and Android apps for live streaming + catch-up of Thursday's coverage (free, email registration). Racing TV has dedicated iOS and Android apps for live streaming of all three days (subscription or single-day pass required).
Where can I watch the Dante Festival in Ireland?
RTÉ Sport typically sub-licences ITV's UK-flat coverage. The 2026 Dante Stakes Day is expected to be on RTÉ Sport for Irish viewers; check RTÉ Player schedule for the confirmed off-time. Racing TV is also available in Ireland via Sky Ireland and UPC for the full three-day programme.
What channel is the Yorkshire Cup 2026 on?
Racing TV is the primary broadcaster for Friday 15 May. Sky Sports Racing typically covers the headline race window for Sky Sports subscribers -- check the published listings for the Friday card.
Can I bet while watching?
Yes -- in-play markets are typically available with most major UK bookmakers from race-go-time onwards. Use the Each-Way Calculator here for in-play maths on the trends-clean each-way picks. Best Odds Guaranteed is available on the day-of-race for accounts at Bet365, William Hill, Coral, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, and Betfred.
For our bookmaker reviews see the bookmakers hub.
Responsible betting reminder: the Dante Festival is competitive Group-class racing. Use small stakes, each-way bets in big fields, and stop when you've reached your budget. For bookmaker offers see our offers page. Free help: BeGambleAware.org.
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